Receptacle for letters or other papers



(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 1,

w. A. OOOKE, Jr. REGEPTAGLE FOR LETTERS OR OTHER PAPERS.

Patented Jan. 29, 189.5.

ATTORNEY e ww 9 E z I i f In a A W S X y A r 15 v f I p I .i llllll lllllll l1 WITNESSES:

0.. WASHINOYON, u. c.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

} w. A. 000KB, Jr. 4 V REGEPTAGLE FOR LETKTERS OR OTHER PAPERS.

No. 533,053. Patented Jan. 29, 1895.

3 Sheets- Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

I wz-A; 000KB, Jr. REGEPTAGLE FOR LETTERS OR OTHER PAPERS.

Patented Jan. 29 1895.

ATTORNEY 1-: uonms PETERS cu., moYou-mov. summon. n. c.

The-Es PATENT Orrion.

WILLIAM A. COOKE, JR., OFv BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

RECEPTACLE FOR LETTERS OR OTHER PAPERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 533,053, dated January 29, 1895.

Application filed March 15, 1894. Serial No. 503,680. (No model;)

To all whom it may. concern: Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. COOKE, J r., a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Receptacles for Letters and other Papers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to that class of devices and appliances for the reception and classification of letters, bills, invoices .and other papers, in which the papers that fall under different heads, dates, initial letters or such other system ofv classification asmay be adopted are placed loosely between leaves or partitions in a box or case where they are readily accessible and can be put in or taken,

out and replaced without trouble or loss of time. These appliances are known as box files and as heretofore constructed they have comprised a box with a hinged side and front, inside of which separate leaves or partitions have been placed and connected with rods, hooks or other devices which permitted them to be lifted to admit a paper. These box files, however, are awkward to handle as it is not easy or safe to stand them up while putting papers in or taking them out, and when' the papers are put in while the box is fiat on its side, and access to a compartment near the bottom side is desired, all the letters, papers and partitions above have to be lifted up with their entire weight of contents, which is both inconvenient and unsafe as frequently it leads to the file being emptied of its entire contents.

The object of my invention is to provide a compartmented box receptacle for letters and other papers which when placed in position and its fastening released shall be adapted to automatically unclose and in the act simultaneously spread apart or open the compartments and retain them in that position whereby free and ready access to any or all of the compartments is secured and the use of both hands in putting away, inspecting and removing papers is permitted.

A further object of the invention is to relieve the flexible part of the receptacle from sides of the casing and the contents of the pockets. v

The invention willfirst be described in connection with the drawings and then specifically pointed out in the claims.

- In the accompanying drawingsz-Figure 1 represents a perspective View ofm y improved receptacle for letters, 850., open and in position for placing papers in the compartments or taking them out; Fig. 2, a perspective view of the receptacle closed, andillustrating the manner of opening thesame; Fig. 3, a sectional view of a part of the receptacle illustrative of the manner of connecting the compartments with the case; Fig. 4, a cross-section of the receptacle; Fig. 5, a longitudinal section of the same taken on lines at, a: of Fig. l. Fig. 6 represents the manner of using the receptacle.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the box or case, preferably made of wood, forming the outside of the receptacle It is composed of two equal parts, each comprising sides 8, s, and ends e, e, and rounded bottom parts 6, b, respectively, the latter when the case is closed forming a rounded back B (Fig. 2), which gives a neat and book-like appearance to the receptacle, on which the label and other memoranda may be printed. The two parts are connected together "at the meeting point of the two half backs, 'sayatac, Fig. 1, by a hinged connection of any suitable kind,- for example, a strip of cloth or leather h glued to the meeting edges of the half backs, or, if preferred, metallic hinges of anysuitable kind may be used. The flap front F of the case is formed of a single plate of wood which is hinged to the upper edge of the side 8' and is sufficiently wide to extend over to and against the upper edge of the side 8, beinglet in the end plates e, e so as to form when closed a flush connection with the upper edges of the sides 8, s, as shown in the closed representation of the receptacle, Fig. 2.

The case islocked when closed by means of a stud t on the front F which engages a notched metal plate p on the edges of side .9. The frontFis snfiiciently elastic to be pressed down far enoughto allow the head of stud t to engage or disengage the plate 10 when the case is to be opened.

the strain occasioned by the weight of the IOC Inside the case a compartment file R is placed and secured so that when the case is opened the pockets or compartments will be spread for the admission of papers. This receptacle is composed of gusseted or accordion plaited ends q q, andbottom r,the ends and bottom preferably being integral or formed from a single piece of material,the folds or plaits of each of the gussets being continuous from one end to the bottom and from the bottom to the other end so that no opening is formed in the bottom at any point. The side edges '16 of the end gussets q q and likewise of the bottom gussets are glued to side plates P P. Between the inward projecting folds ffof the end and bottom gussets and in the grooves g formed by the outward projecting foldsf'f are inserted partitions H, which are fastened in place preferably by strips 2' glued to the partition and the adjacent side of the gusset so as to form a flexible connection between the partitions and the gusseted endsthis connection being applied at both ends of the partitions so that they will be held in place securely. The partitions thus form a series of pockets L which are indexed or otherwise marked or divided into classes by applying a suitable mark to each of the partitions.

In the drawings, Fig. 1, tags m running diagonally are applied to the upper edges of the partitions, and index letters are printed on both sides of the tags so as to be read both ways and thus facilitate finding a required compartment or the papers in any special compartment.

When the receptacle is opened to its full Width the strain falls wholly on the upper edge of the gusseted ends, and to prevent this strain from tearing the gussets and destroying the receptacle a tape, T, which is made of a stronger material than the gussets, is applied to the gusseted ends at or near the top edges thereof. The tape is glued fast to the gussets and its ends to w are turned around the corners at the junction of the gusseted ends with the side plates P P and glued fast to the outside of the said plates in the manner shown in Fig. 3. By this arrangement the side plates of the receptacle are connected together across the gusseted ends at the point where the greatest strain falls, viz: at or near the top of the gusseted ends. The strain is thus borne by the side plates, and the tapes and the gussets are entirely relieved. The tapes being glued to the gussets give them greater stability and make them more durable, but this feature is merely incidental, the main purpose being to connect the sides together independ ently of the gusseted ends, so as to relieve the latter of strain, and by a stronger material than that which composes the gussets. The compartment receptacle thus constructed is placed in the case and connected therewith by gluing or otherwise attaching its side plates P, P, to the sides .9, s of the case. The

ends 20 w of the tapes are thus held fast between the plates P, P, and the sides 3, s, and the two sides of the case are thus likewise connected together by means of the tapes T, T. The gusseted ends and bottom of the compartment receptacle are preferably made of paper strong enough to retain its form, but sufficiently pliable for the gussets to be formed without breaking the paper. The partitions are made of stiff paper by preference, but it is to be understood that these parts may be made of any suitable material and the construction may be also varied to adapt it to the material used. The tapes T are preferably made of a woven fabric, in order that they may have the requisite strength and flexibility.

When the receptacle is to be opened its back is stood on a fiat surface, as shown in Fig. 2 and indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. l, to which in connection with this description of the operation particular reference is made. The finger is now pressed on the button a, thereby causing the stud to release the plate 19. The expansion of the pockets separates the two parts of the case and, passing beyond their centers of gravity (the line cc x), they drop to the right and left respectively, as indicated by the arrows Fig. 1, by their own weight. As the baeks two parts are rounded the movement of the two parts to right and left is facilitated by this rounded bearing on which they rest. When the two parts reach the limit of their movements in opening, the receptacle rests on the two corners c c of the back and it is held in an upright position by their back parts resting on the flat surface. The casing thus opens automatically as soon as the fastening is released and, as the sides of the pockets are connected with the sides of the case, they are spread apart and all the pockets are opened like a fan and retained in their open upright position, and the receptacle remains standing open ready to receive the papers.

By reference to Fig. 6, the manner of using the receptacle and the advantages arising from its construction will be more fully understood. It will be seen that the pockets are held in such a receptive position that the hands of the person filing the papers are left entirely free to manipulate the papers and his work thereby greatly facilitated.

It is to be understood that a cord, wire or other device may be used to connect the two opposite sides of the case, as a substitute and equivalent for the tapes on the ends of the gussets to prevent the strain from falling on the gusseted ends of the file.

I claim- 1. An inclosed or box receptacle for letters &c., constructed of the following parts in combinationan expansible pocket file made of flexible material, a two part case inclosing the same made of stiff material each part composed of a side, ends and part of the back and one part provided with a closing flap, the two parts of the case being joined together at the back: by a hinged connection between the two parts forming the back and the sides of the case further connected by means of the expansible file, placed inside the case and its sides fastened to the sides of the case, and by stronger material than the file carried across the ends of the file from side to side of the case, whereby when the receptacle is placed on its back and the closing flap released the.

two parts of the case drop open automatically and remain in an upright position, thereby simultaneously opening and retaining open the pockets of the expansible file.

2. A receptacle for letters &c., consisting in the combination of an expansible pocket file with a two part exterior case or box made of a stilt material and with the back in two parts-thesides of the case connected by the expansible file and the two parts hinged together at the middle line of the backs, whereby the two parts are'situated on either side of the axis on which they turn when opened and are adapted to open by gravity when the receptacle is placed on its back and the closing flap unfastened thereby simultaneously opening the compartments of the file, substantially as specified.

3. The combination ofan expansible pocket file R having side plates P P with an exterior case A composed of two parts having back pieces 2) b hinged together and front closing fiap F hinged to one side of the case and provided with a device for engaging with the opposite side of the case to fasten the two parts together on theirmeeting edges, the side plates P P and the sides of the case being joined together by the expansible file, the two parts of the case being on opposite sides of the center of gravity of the receptacle and adapted to open automatically when the receptacle is stood on its back B and the fastening released and to stand on the corners c c of the back when open, substantially as specified.

4. The combination of an expansible pocket fileR having side plates P P with an exterior case A made of a stiff material, the said side plates and the sides of case A being joined together, the case A being composed of two parts having sides and ends, and back pieces 17 b hinged together at their meeting edges, and front closing flap F hinged to one of the parts and provided with a device for engaging the opposite side of the case to fasten the two parts together, and tapes T I fastened to the ends of the expansible file and to the two sides of the case-the two parts of the case being on opposite sides of the center of gravity of the receptacle when placed on'its back, and adapted to open automatically when the fastening is released, substantially as specified. In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth Iaffix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM A. OOOKE, JR. Witnesses:

FREDK. HAYNES, CHAS. E. PETERS. 

